Big shunt on the M40 yesterday

[adam.]

Lots of rumours flying around about this one, I was involved in the tailbacks on the northbound carriageway for a few hours, as I was caught a few hundred yards back, luckily out of view.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-h...

Posts out on social media suggest multiple 'high powered' BMWs racing up the M40, from the M25 at triple digit speeds with plenty of undertaking etc, when a couple lost it (on the arrow straight bit) just past J4 High Wycombe. Given the nature of the cars / posts involved, I'd be surprised if there weren't consequences.

Air ambulance, fire, police, all in attendance. We didn't move for ~2 hours.

[adam.]

Indeed, it is a bit of an autobahn, and very very lightly policed. Which is part of its charm.

It's more the recklessness that's concerning.

There's a couple of posts around that suggest the group was as large as 15 cars, all driving in the same manner.

oyster said:

I passed it southbound just after they re-opened the carriageway (with only 1 lane open).
2 vehicles, one with serious front end damage, one with serious offside impact damage, and the central armco bent for a 10-15m stretch.

The markings on the tarmac were extremely long, and one vehicle seemed to have ping ponged side to side at least three times before coming to a rest, over many many yards.

[adam.]

speedking31 said:

etting, for example, lower speed limits based on one or two rare detrimental incidents is just as logical as increasing the limit based on the fact that one or two cars travelled the motorway at 120 mph without incident (which probably happens more frequently). But we all know which way it's likely to end.

I meant consequences for those responsible, either in terms of their quality of life, or criminal record -- not the 70MPH limit.

[adam.]

babelfish said:

If you were a few hundred yards back and they were travelling at those speeds wouldn't they have passed you?

We only got on at J2, going by the timings we must’ve just missed them.

[adam.]

JP18 said:

There was a big tailback that evening after the same junction that I got caught in, so I assumed it was the same incident. Didn't realise it occurred in the afternoon

The barrier repairs took many hours, and were here (white dot):

https://goo.gl/maps/A3yFwzDJpYkiGKbi7

We were parked the other side of the hill crest (red dot), towards John Lewis.